Villis c



(No Model?) W. G. VAJEN.

LANTERN.

No. 555,132. 5 Patented Feb. 25, 18.96.

mm mum-n INVENTOR UNTTED STATES WILLIS t. YAJEN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

LANTERN.

SEECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,132, dated February 25,1896.

Application filed September 30, 1895. Serial No. 564,191. (No model.)

T 0 aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VILLIS C. VAJEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lanterns, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my said invention is to produce a lantern which may carry a supply of pure air in a chamber within or attached to itself, by which combustion may be maintained, so that the lantern may be used in places filled with noxious gases or vapor.

A lantern provided with apparatus embodying my said invention will be first fully described, and the novel features then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of ala-ntern provided with my said invention, wherein the air-tank is embodied in or attached to the base of the lantern, a portion of said air-tank and base being shown in section; Fig. 2, ahorizontal sectional view looking downwardly from the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a detail sectional view of a portion of the valve structure on an enlarged scale.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the framework of the lantern B, a cylinderforming part. of the lantern structure and located at the lower portion thereof; C, the air-chamber; D, the valye structure, and E the lamp.

The lantern-frame A is' or may be of any desired construction suitable for the purpose. It has the usual glass globe A and bail or handle A The cylinder Bis connected to the lower portion of the lantern-frame A, and within this cylinder is the usual lamp proper, E.

The cylinder preferably develops into or has attached thereto the lantern-base B. A number of slits are provided in one side of said cylinder, and these are covered by a gate B having corresponding slits, and which may be moved so that said slits register with one another, thus admitting air to the lantern from the outside, or so that the solid parts of one shall cover the slits in the other, as shown in Fig. 2, thus making said cylinder substantially air-tight. The object of this arrangement is to admit air to the lantern from the outside, without taking it from the airchamber, when the lantern is being used in places where the surrounding air is fresh and suitable for the purpose. Said gate B is held in place on the cylinder B by the loops 1).

The air-chamber C is preferablyin the form of an annular hollow tube adapted to be inclosed within the base of the lantern structure, as shown. It should be of considerable strength, and thus adapted to receive and contain air underhigh pressure. If inclosed in the lantern-base, as shown in the drawings, it adds little if anything to the superficial size of the structure.

The valve structure D is mounted on the top of the lantern-base I3 and communicates with the air-chamber 0 contained within said base. It is provided with two valves D, both operating in connection with an orifice d within said structure and its branches, which orifice leads to and from the interior of said airchamber. The valves D are situated at each end of the horizontal portion of this valve structure, and said valves are preferably operated from thumb-wheels d d" on the valve stems D which extend in through the ends of said horizontalportion. This valve structure has two branches D and D through one of which the air may be introduced into the air-chamber C, and through the other of which it may pass from said air-chamber (through the tube d or its equivalent) to the combustion-chamber of the lantern, discharging at a point in suitablerelation to the flame of the lamp, where it may be utilized in supporting combustion. tube (Z discharges horizontally,-thus insuring a better distribution of the air than if it was "directed toward the flame of the lamp. Manifestly, when air is being passed throughone In the arrangement shown the IOO valve-seat and doing away with the necessity of stuffing-boxes to a large extent, although I prefer to add also a stuffing-box at for greater safety of operation.

The lamp E is the ordinary lantern-lamp, and is held within the base B by springs e, as shown in Fig. 1. At its upper portion it is reduced somewhat, thus leaving achamber into which the air may be discharged through the tube (1, as shown most plainly in Fig. 2, whence said air passes into the interior of the body of the lantern or combustion-chamber. The preferred manner of arranging this discharge has already been described.

The operation is as follows: Assuming it is desired to charge the chamber 0 with air, an ordinary air-pump is connected to the branch D the valve operated by the thumb-wheel d is opened, and the valve operated by the thumb-wheel (Z is closed. Manifestly, the air will then be forced from the air-pump into the air-chamber until the desired pressure therein has been secured. The valve operated by the thumb-wheel (l is then closed, and when it is desired to supply fresh air to the burner it can be done by opening the valve operated by the thumb-wheel (1*, when a supply of air will flow from the chamber G through the branch D an d the connected tube (1'', which thus forms a continuation of the orifice d in the valve structure, to within the cylinder B, and thence to the proper point to supply the flame. hen the necessity for this supply has ceased, the valve can be closed and the compressed-air supply reserved for further use.

This lantern is especially designed for firemens use, where it is necessary to penetrate thick smoke in burning buildings, in cellars, basements and other dark places. It is adapted to be used as a companion device to the Firemans smoke-protector shown and described in Letters Patent No. 4:56, 687, granted to \Villiam Bader July 28, 1891, by means of which the fireman is himself enabled to enter places of the character described. \Vith my improved lantern he is enabled also to observe the situation as he proceeds. It is, of course, useful in other situations where similar conditions exist.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a lantern embodying a cylindrical structure or chamber within which the lamp itself is situated, a compressedair chamber supported on said lantern structure, and a tube or way leading from said airchamber to said combustion-chamber, with a valve in said tube or way whereby the. passage of the air may be controlled, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with a lantern, of a compressed-air chamber mounted thereon, a valve structure 1) on said air-chamber having two branches, one branch being connected to the combustion-chamber of the lantern, and the other being adapted for connection to an air-pump, and each branch being provided with a valve, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of a lantern, an airc-hamber connected thereto, a combustionchamber in said lantern, a conn ection between said air-chamber and said combustion-chamber, a valve controlling said connection, and a gate on the side of the combustion-chamber itself, the construction being such that air may be supplied to said combustion chamber either from said air-chamber or from the surrounding air, at will, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a lantern, of the usual frame and globe and base, said base having a central opening to receive the lamp, said lamp being smaller at its upper portion than at its lower portion to provide a chamber between itself and the surroundingstructure, an air-chamber secured within the base of the lantern, a connection between said air-chamber and the interior of the lantern and avalve whereby the passage of air from the compressed-air chamber to the combustion-chamber may be controlled.

5. The combination, in a lantern, of the usual frame and globe and base, said base having a central cylindrical chamber extending from the outside to the interior of said lantern, a lamp the upper portion whereof is reduced to adapt it to lit into said cylindrical opening, a passage from said air-chamber to the space surrounding the burner portion of the lamp, and avalve structure including two valves and two branches, through one of which air may be introduced into said airchamber, and through the other of which air may be permitted to pass from said air-chamber to the interior of the lantern, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 27th day of September, A. D. 1895.

\VILLIS C. VAJEJ. lVitnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, JAMEs A. XVALSH. 

